But the Socialist president, who has not denied the affair, said he would not be pressing charges for violation of privacy as it would be seen as "double standards" given that he enjoys presidential immunity.

Paris Julie Gayet, the French actress, is pressing charges for "violation of privacy" against the magazine that published photos it said proves she is Francois Hollande's mistress, according to French media reports.

Hollande has expressed his "total outrage" at the publication in Closer magazine of seven pages of photos showing Miss Gayet arrive at a flat, a stone's throw from the Elysee, followed by a helmet-clad man on a scooter it said was the president.

At a press conference on Wednesday, he admitted that he was enduring "painful" times with Valerie Trierweiler, his current partner and de facto First Lady. But the Socialist president, who has not denied the affair, said he would not be pressing charges for violation of privacy as it would be seen as "double standards" given that he enjoys presidential immunity.

However, according to RTL radio, the 41-year old actress to whom he has reportedly been paying regular nocturnal visits, has decided to take legal action. News of Miss Gayet's decision to press charges came as she was dropped by the French government from the Villa Medicis panel, which selects artists and writers to spend up to 18 months at the French Academy in Rome.